Where my Heart is.

Although I'm in Colordao, today my heart is with my family as they celebrate the life and mourn the loss of my beautiful Cousin, Heidi Miller. 

There is great sweetness and light in a life fully lived loving, no matter the length. 

Heidi shone brightly. 

My Mom is speaking at Heidi's Funeral Service today, I know she's going to do an amazing job. She asked us kids if we had any memories of Heidi she could share. Here is part of the email I sent her:

       I am sure everyone has a bazillion funny stories about heidi and her having a blast and being so funny and so spunky, but the memories that i hold most dear of heidi are more, kind of personal.

        So when we were little and would go to grandma's house evey sunday,  I remember the grandkids all playing games together. In addition to the traditional card games with grandma, they'd play other games, like hide and seek or sardines. There was nothing I wanted more than to play with the older kids because they always had so much fun. I am the youngest of the Miller clan grandkids, which that encompasses a vast range of ages, and there was a good 2 year difference between me and the next kids. As it sometimes goes, it's really hard to have a seriously competitive game of sardines when you have a s little squirt running around, who might not be so skilled at the art of being sly. And there was a couple of cousins who told me i was too young to play. My eyes filled with crocodile tears and my heart broke, when they told me I just couldn't play.It was almost instantaneous that heidi stepped forward as my hero. She stood up for me and insisted that I be included in the game. She asked how the others would feel if they couldn't play, and explained that's just how I felt too. It didn't matter how old I was, to heidi I was important and deserved to be included. Now this wasn't some seminary video scenario where everyone talked with cheesy niceness, it got a little feisty, but heidi was fearless to do and defend what she thought was right. Heidi emereged as my champion that day, because of her ability to fearlessly love and include everyone.  She has been an shining example of this to me even as an adult. Countless number of times I have seen her reach out to others, immediately and without judgement, and connect with people so sincerely 

and genuinely. It is who she is and why so many love her.

         My second memory with Heidi, is when she came the morning of my wedding to help me get ready. As most brides, i was anxious and nervous, but it was so nice to have heidi there with me. She made me feel calm and happy.  As she curled my hair and applied my makeup, she asked me all about Skyler. Her questions were sincere and thoughtful. She wasn't just trying to fill the time, but she was genuinely interested in knowing more about the person I was going to marry. While talking with her about skyler, I felt how much I loved him and how excited I was to marry him. My wedding was a momentous day filled with lots going-ons, but I am thankful for how it started. Not only because Heidi made me look beautiful, But Because, in the quiet moments of the early morning hours, Heidi helped me to remember and focus on what mattered most. She didn't ask me all about the flowers, or the food, or what my bridesmaids were wearing.  She asked about me about the person I loved. She knew that its the people and the relationships in our lives that matter most.

Just like eveyone who knew her, I love Heidi.

I am grateful for the knowledge that Families are forever and that through the Power of Jesus Christ, I will embrace and giggle wildly with my sweet fun-loving cousin again.